Device for shattering ice cubes



Feb. 26, 1935. G. H. wlLKlNs DEVICE FOR SHATTERING ICE GUBES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 2G, 1934 ATTORNEY.

'DEVICE FOR SHATTERING ICE cUBEs Filed April 26, 1934 A2 Sheecs-Shee'f. 2

23% -f yy INVENTO@ ATTORNEY.

in present day use.

Patented` Feb. 26, 1935 tra s 1 "r ica Application April 26, 1934, Serial No. 722,536.

My invention relates to improvements in devices or shatteringl ice cubes, with particular reference to the ice cubes which are manufactured in many types of mechanical refrigerators An object of my invention is to provide a sturdy, compact, device, in which ice cubes may be inserted and quickly and easily broken up into s xnall units, suitable for use in cooling liquids, or :for other purposes.

Broadly, my invention comprises a' casing member, a receptacle, or magazine therein, for` receiving ice cubes 'that are to be crushed, or broken up; oppositely disposed plates slidably supported within the casing member and outside of the magazine, pointed pins, or studs, secured in the slidable plates, and means for moving the plates toward each other to force 'the pins through openings in the side walls of the magazine, into an ice cube in the magazine, thereby shattering, or breaking, the ice cube into relatively small pieces for immediate use.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fm. 1 is a top, plan view oi the device with the covers removed.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

` 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view through the center of the device, showing the slidable plates in closed position, with the sharp points, after slightly passing by each other, after shattering. or cracking an ice cube.

Fig. iis a cross, sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing one ci the sets of sharp points.

Figs; 5 and 6 are elevational views of the oppositely disposed pin-carrying plates, and

Fig. 7 is a view illustrating a support for the device and a modification of the lever construction.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, in which like numerals refer tolike parts throughout:-

A box-like member, or container 1, is formed with a base plate 2, turned up at the sides to form the side walls 3 and 4, and the end plates 5 and 6 are bent over at the top to form the cover portions '7 and 8. 'Ehe end plates 5 and 6, the base plate 2, and sides 3 and 4, between the end plates are secured together by means of the .longitudinal spacer bars 9 and the bolts 10. A handle 11 is securedon the end plate `6, in any suitable manner. A magazine, or container 12, for receiving the ice cubes 13, is secured to (UL 83-62l the base 2 within the container 1; 4the magazine 12 being open at the top and bottom, and the base 2 being provided with an opening 1i through which the lower end of the magazine 12 extends,

" therebyl providing a normally free passage through the magazine 12. 'I'he base 2 is formed with prongs, or projections 15 (see Figs. 1, 3, and 4), extending inwardly into the open bottom of the magazine 12, which serve as temporary supports for a whole ice cube dropped into the magazine 12, and also, as stops to prevent a whole ice cube from dropping through the magazine. The magazine 12 is providedwith a plurality of openings 16 in the oppositely disposed sides 17 and 18, which are'in line with the pins 19 and 20, formed with sharp points 21.` 'Ihe two sets of pins 19 and 20 are secured in supporting plates 22 and 23, respectively. The plates 22 and 23, in turn, are secured to oppositely disposed U-shaped members 24 and 25, which are slidably supported in the casing 1. Operating links 26 and 27, connected together at the top by a handle 28, are pivotally secured in the sides 3 and dof the casing l, by studs 29. Pivot studs 30 and 31 on the links 26 and 27, engage in vertical slots 32 and 33, in the sides 34 and 35 of the U-shaped members 24 and 25, which are connected to the pin-supporting plates 22 and 23. Horizontal slots 36 and 37, formed in the sides 34 and 35, respectively, permit movement of the sides 34 and 35 of the U-shaped members 24 and 25 on the link studs 29.

Inoperation, several cubes of ice, 13, are inserted in the magazine 12, one above the other, and the handle 28 is then moved across the top of the casing 1,'in the direction, indicated by the into small pieces 41, indicated in Fig'. 3, which will drop through the bottom of the magazine 12, into any ,convenient receptacle provided, not shown in Fig. 3, but shown in Fig. 7 at 4i.

Referring to Fig. 7, in which the operating lever is formed as a T-shaped member having the long operating arm part 40 and the shorter arm parts 41 and 42, it is to be understood that these shorter arm parts are connected to the plate members 22 and 23, which carry the icecracking pins 19 and 20. 41 indicates supporting legs for the container 1. The oppositevside of the casing is supported by the handle 42 and foot portion 43. A receptacle for receiving the cracked ice is indicated at 44. The directionof movement of the long lever arm 40 is indicated by the arrow 45.

It should be particularly observed that the arrangement and location of the two sets of sharp pins, 19 and 20, is such, (see Figs. 5 and 6), that they will slightly pass by each other and eiectually break up the ice cubes, as shown in Fig. 3. I have found, however, that it is not necessary to have these points pass by each other, in order to shatter, or crack, the ice into small pieces. It will be noticed that when the pins 19 and 20 are in the position, shown in Fig. 3, with their.

inner ends slightly overlapping or passing each other, the entire cake, or cube of ice 13 is thoroughly broken into small pieces.

When the two sets of pins 19 and 20 are withdrawn, the small particles of ice will fall freelydownward through the opening 14, into a receptacle, and at the same time, the prongs 15 will serve to support and retain in place, in the magazine, the succeeding cube, as it falls, ready y for another operation.

What I claim isz- 1. In a device for cracking small pieces of ice, an ice-receiving magazine having some of its walls formed with openings, pointed rod members normally located outside of and opposite the openings, slidable U-shaped means for supporting the rod members, said means each having a slot therein, lever means, studs thereon connected to the rod-supporting means by being located in the slots for moving the pointed rod `site sides of the pivotal point of the lever means and said U-shaped means having an elongated slot to accommodate the pivot-supporting member of the lever when operated.

2. In an ice-cracking device, a receptacle for receiving the ice to be cracked and formed with lopenings in its opposite walls which are out of axial .alignment with each other, vrod members arranged opposite the said openings and extending in opposite directions, means for operating the rods for engaging the opposite sides of a piece of ice for cracking the same, said means comprising slidable members each formed with a slot in an edge thereof, a lever, and studs thereon located in the slots. 1

3. In an ice-shattering machine, a casing member, a receptacle having openingsandllocated in the casing for receiving the ice to be shattcred, two slidable members in the casing, pointed rods secured to the slidable members and aligned for 4movement through the openings in the receptac1e,vone` of the slidable members vhaving a slot in its upper edge and the other slidable member having a slot in its lower edge, two levers, a pivot stud on each lever for entering one of said slots. pivot pins for the levers and located on opposite sides of the pivot studs, whereby when the levers are operated the slidable members and pointed rods will be moved in opposite directionsl towards and away from the lice in the receptacle, and means in said receptacle to permit the shattered ice to escape but serve to retain a succeeding or follower piece in the receptacle when the pointed rods are withdrawn.

' ,GEORGE H. WILKINS. 

